Maximize Your Commute: Best Podcasts for the Aspirational Worker

Do you blast your new playlist at maximum volume and sing along in your best karaoke voice? Or do you relish the quiet time to listen to the latest audio book in your favourite crime series?

These are valid and no doubt satisfying ways to pass the time. But what if you could actually put your commute to work for your career?

Here’s the good news: that’s absolutely an option! With online broadcasting becoming increasingly popular, there are a number of highly informative podcasts you can follow to help you advance your career. CNN’s Kathryn Vasel points out in her article “We spend $2,600 a year commuting to work” that on average, our aggregated annual commuting time is 200 hours or five work weeks—that’s a lot of time you could put to good use.

Here are our top five podcasts for the aspirational worker:

1. The Look and Sound of Leadership with Tom Henschel: This podcast from communications and self-presentation expert Tom Henschel applies to all sorts of professionals, not just leaders. From uncovering false and ineffective thinking patterns and seeing yourself the way others see you, to strategies for adopting new behaviours and knowing how to develop people, this relatively short podcast provides sound bytes that prep you for success!

2. Talent Jockey: Show for Job Seekers, Recruiters & Hiring Managers with Sean Kelley: This podcasts brings talent, recruiters and hiring managers together in one place. Veteran recruiting consultant Sean Kelly brings you news, tips and advice from the world of job seeking in a pleasant and packed 30- to 45-minute show. Kelly enjoys discussing positive topics like personal branding and how to turn a temporary position into a full-time one, but he also doesn’t shy away from the difficult subjects like what to do if you’ve just been fired or how to handle an unsympathetic recruiter.

3. HBR IdeaCast: For any truly aspirational professional, the insights from Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast are invaluable. The podcast, which lasts roughly between 15 and 25 minutes, features a host of thought leaders who provide their own unique insights. From subjects like leading across sectors and using social media to boost your productivity, to interviews with great minds from many different walks of life including Encyclopædia Britannica’s Jorge Cauz, Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos, and the late poet and author Maya Angelou, the podcast provides a fresh perspective on both timeless and trending topics.

4. The Accidental Creative | Creativity, Innovation, and Doing Brilliant Work: Though the podcast targets creative professionals in its title, it actually discusses creative ways for any professional to enhance performance and increase productivity. Recent topics include how to frame your ideas so they resonate with others, how to manage time to your best advantage and how to steal the show. The podcast exceeds expectations on a regular basis and tackles challenging topics that require you to work harder and dig deeper, such as how to gain traction and find your authentic voice.

5. Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod: Success | Productivity | Personal Development. Inspirational stories are often a great motivator, and nothing says “motivation” like Hal Elrod. After starting in radio at the age of 15, at the age of 20, he suffered a devastating accident that left him dead for six minutes; after he was revived, he was in a coma for six days. When he was consequently told that he would never walk again, Hal proved everyone wrong and now even runs ultra-marathons! His podcast features a wide variety of topics and guests that all have one thing in common: they can help you learn strategies to become more efficient, productive and successful.

Of course, this is just a handful of the useful podcasts out there, but it’s a good place to start. So select the podcast that appeals most to you and get ready to advance during your commute—both literally and figuratively!

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